Albert i



(No Model.)

A. I. GROWELL.

BUTTON;

ljN VENTOR:

jaw/0% 4 .Atfiornay.

Patented Jan. '7, 1890.

By I

WITNESSES:

a perspective View of a shoe provided with a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT I. CROWELL, NE? YORK, N. Y2, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK RGODDARD, OF SAME PLACE.

BUTTON,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent bio 418,689, dated January 7, 1890.

Application filed July 15,1889- Totall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT I. OROWELL, of New York city, New York, have invented an Imp'rovedBut-ton, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a button which is provided with a divided head, into which the end of a lacing-string is slipped, so that the latter is retained in place without being tied, as heretofore.

My improved buttons are designed to be used as the two top or end buttons of a shoe, a corset, or any other laced article of apparel.

The invention consists in the various features of improvement morefully pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is pair of my improved buttons. Fig. 2 is a detail of the upper end of the lacing. Fig. 3 is a top view of the button; and Fig. at, a longitudinal section-on line m 00, Fig. 3.

The letter a represents the head of a button having a shank b and a base-plate or a shoe 0. The shank connects with the edge of the head, as shown, so that the entire head is located at one side of the shank. I have shown head and shank made of one piece of material.

d is a spring-plate bent at right angles and Serial No. 317,575. (No model.)

riveted to shank b by the rivets f. The free section of plate (1 is located directly underneath head a and diverges therefrom, as shown. By attaching the spring-plate to the shank and not the head I am enabled to utilize the entire lower surface of the head as a clamping-jaw.

In use the button is attached in suitable manner to a shoe or other article of apparel A, one'button being placed at the end or top of each series of lacing hooks or holesl' After the lacing-string c has been passed around the hooks, as usual, each string end is first passed around the shank of its button, and is then slipped between the two jaws of the button-head; Thus the string will be securely held in place without being tied.

What I claim is- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a button having a head, a shank, and a diverging spring-plate underneath the head, substantially as specified.

2. A button having a shank, a head at one side of the shank, and a bent spring-plate secured to theshank and diverging from the 

